So looping back to the last of the “Use up all those extra eggs!” dishes that I made last week, here is one more. It only uses 4 eggs, but that was (along with all the other stuff that I made) enough to use up the overload. This is a cross between cheesecake and pie, the best of both worlds, and in this case, topped with blueberry compote, although you could swap that out with other flavours too!
Ingredients
for the crust
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
for the cheesecake filling
4 eggs, room temperature
4 tablespoons (half stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup mascarpone, room temperature
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoons lemon extract
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
For the topping
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch, mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water
juice from 1/2 a lemon
fresh milt to garnish (optional)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumb and granulated sugar. Stir to combine. Add the melted butter, and mix together until well blended. Pour the graham cracker mixture into the pie plate, and using your hands, press into the pan and up the sides. Bake crust for 10-12 minutes, or until light golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Reduce the oven temperature to 300F.
In the work bowl of your stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until it is smooth and there are no lumps. Add the mascarpone, sugar, cornstarch, lemon extract, juice, and zest to the bowl and beat on medium-low speed until combined and creamy. Scrape down the beater and sides of the bowl with a spatula. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating slowly until everything is combined. Pour into the graham cracker pie shell and place in a roasting pan large enough to prevent the sides from touching. Bring a few cups of water to a boil and pour the water into the roasting pan, being careful not to splash any water onto the cheesecake. Fill the pan to reach halfway up the sides of the pie plate.
Bake for 1 hour and 30 to 1 hour 45 minutes, or until the cake is very lightly colored and a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean. Turn off the oven and crack the door open. Let the cheesecake cool slowly for two to three hours, then remove to the refrigerator for a minimum of 6 hours. I do this overnight. This step is crucial for letting the cheesecake set and achieving perfect cheesecake texture — don’t rush it.
To garnish: While the pie is cooling, make the blueberry compote. In a small saucepan, combine blueberries and sugar. Let simmer until you have a loose compote. Add the cornstarch slurry and let come to a complete boil to thicken. Take off the heat and add the lemon juice. Let cool completely. On plating of the pie, pour the cold blueberry compote on top to serve. Garnish with a mint spring (optional).
